Dr. Drew says coronavirus panic is 'destroying' businesses — and he wants the media to be held accountable

Dr. David Drew Pinsky continued his criticism against the coronavirus panic and added that the media should be held accountable for the businesses they are destroying and lives they are upending.

Pinsky spoke about what he saw as an irrational panic during an interview on Monday.

"A bad flu season is 80,000 dead. We've got about 18,000 dead from influenza this year; we have 100 from corona," said Pinsky to CBS Local's DJ Sixsmith.

"Which should you be worried about, influenza or corona? 100 versus 18,000, it's not a trick question. Look, everything that's going on, with New York cleaning the subways and everyone using Clorox wipes, and get your flu shot, which should be the other message, that's good, that's a good thing. So I have no problems with the behaviors," said Pinsky.

"What I have a problem with is the panic and the fact that businesses are getting destroyed and people's lives are being upended. Not by the virus, but by the panic," he continued.

"The panic must stop, and the press, they really, somehow, need to be held accountable, because they are hurting people."

Pinsky went on to say that he knew the panic was coming because he could see how the media was misreporting the facts of the virus. He also said that there is a real danger if the coronavirus gets into the homeless population.

"If corona gets into the homeless in Southern California," he said, "that's gonna be a problem. That's when I will change my tune."